An introduction to spring sports: senior girl joins baseball team

For the first time since its founding, the baseball team will be coed.

Senior Shewetha Prasad has switched to baseball after girls’ softball disbanded following just three seasons.

Even though she will be the only girl to ever play on Country Day’s team, there are several other teams in the league that are coed, including Lutheran and Waldorf.

Prasad was a catcher in softball last year but is not sure what she will play in baseball.

According to Gary Smith, assistant coach, it won’t be too difficult for her to transition from softball to baseball.

“She will have to make an adjustment, but most of the basic skills, in terms of batting, fielding and baserunning, are the same,” he said.

“Every year we had a new team, so we always had to reteach the girls,” Prasad said when asked what she’s looking forward to this season. “Now on the baseball team everyone already knows the general rules, so we can just hone our skills.”

The baseball team ended the 2011-12 season with a record of 3-9.

Returning member catcher Donald Hutchinson said that one of the most important skills the team needs to work on is pitching.

“If we can pitch well, it will improve our whole game because it will get us up to bat,” he said.

They have also gained several new players, including Prasad, freshman Jacob Durante and sophomores Skovran Cunningham and Ethan Ham.

—Micaela Bennett-Smith

Lacrosse

With all players having at least a year of experience under their belts and many attending camps over the summer, the lacrosse team hopes to improve their record.

The Cavs have their first game on Tuesday, Feb. 26, against Lincoln High School in Stockton.

Last year the majority had never played the sport before.

This year the team has far more experience, especially the sophomores, coach Brooke Wells said.

“The core of the team is definitely the tenth graders,” Wells said.

Twelve of the 16 members are sophomores, and six of them went to a summer camp or training session.

Sophomore Chris Liston went to two camps, one in Davis and the other at St. Mary’s College.

“I learned how to maneuver around the goal much better,” Liston said.

In addition, Wells worked one-on-one with sophomore Michael Wong for over a week in June.

“Wells taught me how to cradle and run with the ball, and made sure I had enough knowledge of the game to start on the team,” Wong said.

Due to the success of last year’s inexperienced squad, Wells is confident the team will be able to play even more competitively this season.

The team does not compete in a league but rather plays against teams in the Sacramento area.

—Eric Hilton

Track

It’s 3:45 p.m. and the track team is just arriving on the back field to meet before jogging down by the American River or doing intervals.

However, there are more people here than ever before.

The team has at least 15 members: four freshmen, four juniors, and seven seniors, compared to last year’s eight.

“When we first started track, we had only four people. When everybody comes out this year, we have over 20,” coach Nick Domich said.

Returning senior Logan Winfield also enjoys having more people at practice.

“There’s more camaraderie out there now,” Winfield said. “Everyone is having a better time, and there are more people to talk to.”

The team is also behaving more competitively and working harder at practice.

“Practices are intense,” senior Ben Hernried said. “We really push and compete with each other because we know that we will have to face off in the same events at meets.”

The greater numbers also allow Domich to customize practices according to the team’s strengths and weaknesses.

The team’s first meet is on Saturday, Feb. 23, at Elk Grove High School.

—Eric Hilton

Girls’ Soccer

The girls’ soccer season opens on Friday, March 8, at home against Western Sierra Collegiate.

The Cavs hope to build upon last year’s spring campaign. After a regular season that ended in a playoff berth, Country Day lost in the second round of the playoffs last year.

The loss of last season’s goalkeeper Lyria Beck, `12, will be the team’s greatest challenge.

“I have no idea who will play goalie,” senior captain Alison Walter said.

Senior forward Madeleine Wright says the team will be relying on incoming talent. “Hopefully we will get some dedicated, motivated freshmen,” Wright said.

Freshmen Aidan Galati, Emily Berke and Emma Belliveau played in middle school and aim to immediately contribute to the team.

Without an official practice yet, coach George Champayne said it’s hard to tell how the team will shape up.

Walter agrees that “nothing about the season is certain.”

—Morgan Bennett-Smith

Golf

The golf team will start their season with a practice match on Tuesday, March 1, at Spring Creek against Valley Christian.

The team has been practicing since Feb. 4 at Haggin Oaks and working with a professional weekly.

Only three of six starters from last year—juniors Garrett Kaighn and Eric Hilton and senior Tyler Burger, are returning

New additions to the starting squad include senior Brandon Mysicka, sophomore George Cvetich, and freshman Brad Petchauer.

“We don’t have the kind of depth we’ve had the past two years,” coach Greg Kaighn said.

Despite the loss of graduating seniors, the remaining veterans are optimistic.

“If the top three golfers are all working hard and playing seriously, we still have a chance to win league,” Kaighn said.

—Skovran Cunningham

Tennis

Four days a week at sunrise, the tennis team is training for the upcoming season.

The team has only three upperclassmen—senior Jeffrey Caves and juniors Brandon Paw and Troy Hoddick—but there are an abundance of underclassmen.

“Even though we lost a lot of seniors last year, I think we will still be competitive in our league,” coach Haitham Batarseh said.

“Our top two boys and girls will probably win all of their matches, and we should only be able to improve in the upcoming years.”

The team kept one of its stronger players in Caroline Mehta, who was a dominant force on the team last year.

“I worked hard over the summer because I knew that we were going to lose nearly all of our strong players,” Mehta.

Their first matchup of the season will be against the Forest Lake Falcons on Tuesday, March 5.